Overview of Zigbee and Shortest Path Routing

Algorithm using MATLAB

Yash Agrawal#1, Dhirendra Pratap Singh#2, Rohit Dhiman#3, Rajeevan Chandel#4
# Department of Electronics & Communication Department
National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur 177 005 HP India
1
mr.yashagrawal@gmail.com, 2dhirendrapratap.nith@gmail.com, 3rohitdhiman.nitham@gmail.com, 4rajeevanchandel@gmail.com

Abstract- Zigbee (IEEE 802.15.4) is a new wireless standard for Section V gives results and discussion. Conclusion is made
low data rate and low power consumption. Zigbee is meant for in Section VI and following it references are in Section VII.
small distance ranging from 10-100 metres. In the present paper
shortest routing algorithm is used for zigbee module. The routing
algorithm is defined in the network layer. It considers starting as II. ABOUT IEEE 802.15.4
well as destination node distance for calculation of shortest
distance between the nodes. Also, BPSK encoding is used for 802.15.4 defines the physical and MAC layers. The feature
transmission of data. The analysis is carried out using MATLAB. of Physical layer is Energy Detection, channel selection,
link quality detection and transmitting and receiving of data
I. INTRODUCTION
packets across the physical medium.
Physical layer operates in two layers depending on the
Zigbee devices are required to conform IEEE 802.15.4-2003 frequency range. Lower frequency layer works on 868MHz
i.e. Low Data Rate Wireless Personal Area Network in Europe and 915 MHz in US and Australia. The upper
(WPAN) standard [1]. Depending on the power output frequency layer works on 2.4 GHz which is used worldwide.
consumption, zigbee operation range is in between 10- Different modulation scheme and channel allocation is done
100m. Zigbee works on unlicensed RF band. The data rate based on frequency band used. Medium Access Control
of zigbee is 250kbps at 2.4GHz (global), 40kbps at 915MHz (MAC) layer provides reliable communication between
(America) and 20kbps at 868MHz (Europe). routers and end device.
It was developed by IEEE and Zigbee Alliance group. The layers are as shown in figure 1.
Zigbee uses basic OSI model in which protocols of the
lower Physical and data link layer are defined by IEEE
802.15.4 and protocols of the upper stack (Network layer to Application Layer
Application layer) are defined by Zigbee Alliance group. It
can be used in vast number of applications such as Network and Security
luminance and temperature control, building automation and layer
industrial facilities [2, 3]. It can be integrated with sensors
which can send small packets of data wirelessly to MAC Layer
coordinator in the zigbee mesh network for smart and Zigbee
Alliance IEEE
intellectual applications [4-6]. Physical Layer 802.15.4
In the present work shortest routing algorithm is used for
zigbee. For finding shortest distance, starting as well as
destination node distance is considered so as to have more Fig. 1 Zigbee Protocol Stack
directional and shortest route between the starting and
destination node. The same is implemented and seen using
MATLAB. III. ABOUT ZIGBEE PROTOCOL STACK
The paper is arranged as: Section I is the introduction,
Section II gives a brief overview of the IEEE 802.15.4, This defines the upper layers and consists of Network and
Section III discusses about zigbee protocol stack. Section IV Application Layer. In network layer, routing algorithm is
gives the routing algorithm.
defined. Research is being carried out on various routing

International Conference On Recent Advances in Electronics and Computer Engineering, 17th-18th Nov., 2011, Eternal University, H.P., INDIA 1
algorithms. The selection and efficiency of routing Here for defining routing algorithm, mesh topology is used.
algorithm depends on the network topology. The different The nodes are distributed randomly in the mesh network. It
network topologies are star, tree and mesh network. It can is shown in figure 3.
be seen in figure 2.

(a) Star Network

Fig. 3 Mesh Network Topology

(b) Cluster tree Network
Figure 4 shows the routing scheme. For better
understanding, it can be divided into three levels as N-1, N
and N+1. The information is to be send through A to B. It
can be seen in following steps as:
1. Initially starting node (A) calculates the number of router
around it. Here it is 3.
2. Then it calculate its distance with all the neighboring
routers around it viz. s1, s2, s3.
(c) Mesh Network 3. Then in the third step distance between all its neighbor
Monitoring Device routers with the destination node is calculated viz. d1,
Router d2, d3.
End Device 4. Then addition of each router’s distance with its source
Figure 2: Zigbee Network Topology and destination node is done (s1+d1, s2+d2, s3+d3).
5. Finally, shortest distance is calculated from step 4 and
Zigbee network consists of coordinator, router and end
routing is made through the router giving minimum
device. The zigbee coordinator forms the root of the
distance between the source and destination node.
network tree and bridges other networks. The routers are
responsible of data transmission between coordinator and
end device. The zigbee network can be extended by
increasing number of routers. Zigbee end device can
transmit and receive signals but it cannot perform any
routing operations.

IV. ROUTING ALGORITHM

Routing is defined in the network layer. There are various

routing algorithms. Among all, shortest routing algorithm is
most widely used. In this information is transmitted between
the source and destination node through routers following
the shortest path.
(N-1)th Level Nth Level (N+1)th Level

Fig. 4 Mesh Network

International Conference On Recent Advances in Electronics and Computer Engineering, 17 -18 Nov., 2011, Eternal University, H.P., INDIA 2
The same is analyzed in MATLAB. It is seen in figure 5.
Here routing path is defined between C to F.
Fig. 5 Routing Path in Mesh Network
The information and control signals are in the binary form.
For transmission of signals through channel this is to be
encoded. There are various encoding schemes. However
zigbee uses Binary Phase Shift Key (BPSK) as an encoding
scheme in the Physical layer.
In this binary data is converted to +1 or -1 depending on the
information bit.
Here BPSK encoding is analyzed and carried out in
MATLAB. It is seen in fig. 6.
Fig. 6 BPSK Encoding Scheme
V. RESULTS & DISCUSSION
The simulation is carried out using MATLAB. The mesh
network and shortest routing algorithm is defined. The same
is analyzed using MATLAB tool. Also, BPSK encoding is
done in the Physical layer.
VI. CONCLUSION
Zigbee is an emerging technology which can lead to
complete home and industrial automation. With its
monitoring features, it can be used in number of applications
such as temperature control, parking lot automation and
hence can make life simpler and comfortable. Zigbee uses
very low battery power and hence it can last for years.
VII. REFERENCES
[1] IEEE std. 802.15.4, “Wireless Medium Access Control (MAC) and
Physical Layer (PHY) Specification for Low-Rate Wireless Peronal Area
Network,” october 1, 2003.
[2] L. Shizhuang, L. Jingyu, F. Yanjun, “ ZigBee Based Wireless Sensor
Networks and Its Applications in Industry,” IEEE International Conference
on Automation and Logistics, pp.1979 -1983, 2007.
[3] L.F. Akyildiz, W. Su, Y. Sankarasubramaniam, E. Cayirci, “Wireless
Sensor Networks: A Survey,” Computer Network, vol. 38, pp. 393-422,
2002.
[4] B. Yan-li, C. Qiao-lin, W. Fang, “Improved ZigBee Network Routing
Algorithm,” Engineering and applications of computer, 2009.
[5] S. Zheng, Z. Xiao-Guang, R. Dianxu Ruan, P. Hui Li, Xun, “A Routing
Protocol based on Flooding and AODV in the ZigBee Network,” Intelligent
Systems and Applications, pp.1-4, May 2009.
[6] A. Lubna, E. Ali and R. Aiyappa, “Scalability Analysis for wireless
sensor networks Routing Protocols,” AINAW, 22nd international
conference, pp. 139-144, March 2008.